


A Super Soldier Walks into a Bar

by csichick_2



Category: Captain America (Movies), Law & Order, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-08
Updated: 2016-05-08
Packaged: 2018-06-07 02:08:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6781057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/csichick_2/pseuds/csichick_2
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Steve finds himself in a bar despite being unable to get drunk, he ends up getting some unexpected advice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Super Soldier Walks into a Bar

Even though alcohol hasn’t had an effect on him since the serum, Steve still needs a drink. Today has been one of those days that reminded him of just how much he missed out on the sixty-seven years he’d been frozen and drinking seems like a better option than literally hitting the stuffing out of some punching bags. He knows neither is the healthiest of coping mechanisms, but he can’t bring himself to care.

He doesn’t want to be found by any of the others, so he finds a hole in the wall bar just off of Wall Street. He feels like it’s the last place anyone would expect to look for a kid from Brooklyn, and he hopes his baseball cap means that he won’t be recognized.

Steve takes a seat several seats away from the only other person sitting at the bar, the other patrons scattered throughout the tables. He’s halfway through his first drink when another one is placed in front of him. When he looks at the bartender quizzically, he nods over at the man a few seats away saying “he said to tell you thank you for your service.” Steve swears under his breath as that means he’s been recognized. He looks over at the other man, who looks vaguely familiar, but he’s not sure why.

“Don’t worry, Captain Rogers,” the man says just loud enough for Steve to hear. “Everyone else is so self-absorbed, they wouldn’t notice you if you walked in with your shield. That’s why I like to come here.”

Steve breathes a sigh of relief as he moves down the bar so he can have a normal conversation with the man. “I feel like I should recognize you from somewhere, but I don’t know why.”

“Probably the news,” the man replies. “District Attorney Jack McCoy.”

“That would be it,” Steve replies. “Thank you for the drink, Mr. McCoy. It’s been about seventy years since I was last able to get drunk, but sometimes just the burn of it going down helps.”

“It takes a lot to get me drunk these days, but it’s from years of drinking too much,” Jack replies. “And please, call me Jack. Being called Mr. McCoy makes me feel old.”

“Well at least you know you’re not the oldest one in here,” Steve says with a snort.

“You’re only as old as you feel Captain,” Jack says. “And I doubt you feel like you’re in your nineties, regardless of what the calendar says.”

“Some days I do,” Steve admits. “And if you want me to call you Jack, you should call me Steve.”

“So Steve,” Jack responds. “Is this one of those days when you’re feeling your age?”

Steve nods, surprisingly finding the other man easy to talk to. “I knew I was going to die when I crashed that plane. Waking up to find seventy years had passed – saying it was a shock it was an understatement. Almost every one that I knew is gone. The one that’s still alive – her mind is gone. There’s no one I can talk to about my life before the ice that will actually understand what it was like. I’ve read a few history books and there’s so much they got wrong.”

This time Jack is the one that snorts. “The American educational system at work. I fear for my grandchildren’s futures.”

Steve sighs. “I should have those. Grandchildren. Maybe even a few great-grandchildren by now.”

“There’s nothing that says you still can’t,” Jack replies. “You’re only old on paper.”

“I’m not sure if I should be flattered or insulted,” Steve says, causing Jack to laugh.

“Give them the opportunity, and people will be throwing themselves at you,” he says. “Just be careful of their motives. Advice from a man with two ex-wives.”

“Honestly, I’d probably be suspicious of everyone’s motives,” Steve says wryly. “The woman that I hoped I’d end up with – she liked me before. It wasn’t looks or fame for her.”

“Is she the one that’s still alive?” Jack asks, having picked up on his tone.

“Yeah,” Steve replies. “Peggy… she was something. It kills me to see her like that, which is I don’t go down to Washington to see her as much as I should.”

“Seeing a loved one like that is hard on anyone,” Jack replies. “Don’t feel guilty over that.”

Steve wonders if the other man is speaking from experience, but he’s too polite to ask. “Thanks,” he says simply.

“We all need an outside perspective sometimes,” Jack says. “I’m here most nights if you ever need someone to tell it to you like it is when you’re feeling ancient.”

Steve can’t help but smile. “I’ll keep that in mind.”


End file.
